Application Of Birch Reduction. The birch reduction is an organic chemical reaction where aromatic compounds which have a benzenoid ring are converted into 1 4 cyclohexadiene which have two hydrogen atoms attached at opposite ends of the molecule. This name reduction is very important and quite useful for reduction of aromatic and none aromatic moieties.
The reason is electron withdrawing groups stabilize the radical anion at ipso and para positions. In this organic reduction of aromatic rings in liquid ammonia with sodium lithium or potassium and an alcohol such as ethanol and tert butanol. Hence it is condensed to a liquid state by lowering its temperature to 78 o c.
In birch reduction reaction we need to use liquid ammonia.
In birch reduction reaction we need to use liquid ammonia. Catalytic hydrogenations of benzene and benzene derivatives usually yield completely hydrogenated products since alkenes that are intermediately formed are more easily reduced than aromatic rings. 2 in the birch reduction of benzoic acid the protonation occurs at ipso and para positions relative to cooh group on the benzene ring. It is a very useful reaction in synthetic organic chemistry.
